Another store/bar private cask of Ben Nevis from East Asia, though now we have moved from Japan to Hong Kong. This particular cask was bottled for the Gommone Whisky Shop and a friend was nice enough to share a sample of their bottle.

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Whisky: Ben Nevis 26 Year (1996) Cask 1540 for Gommone Whisky Shop

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 47.5%

Cask: Hogshead

Age: 26 Years (Distilled 1996, Bottled 2023)

Notes: Soft citrus and tropical fruits with a floral edge— pomelo, mandarin oranges, and pink grapefruit, though with none of the tartness those carry. Mild passion flower tea with hessian, twine, antique wood, and mellow sea spray. A touch  of woody resin and pepper lingered in the background; all very classy tropical hotel lobby. Medium-bodied and initially juicy on the palate with plenty of tropical citrus, ginger, and a touch of fermented rice wine. Slightly grainy notes of rice offered a starchy creaminess to lemon and grapefruit which became rather austere over the course of the glass. Pepper, antique wood, hints of resin, and more grapefruit sorbet lingered toward the end. The finish was long, soft, and slightly drying with herbal tea, a kiss of sea spray, and floral citrus.

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Score: 8 (87)

Mental Image: Resort Hotel Lobby

Conclusion: This was intricate, yet delicate, with plenty of tropical vibes— it reminded me quite a bit of an older Glenburgie or Arran. It had a wonderful evolution from an initial pop of flavor to something more austere and drying, so that each sip was like hitting the repeat button on your favorite song. Just play it one more time! The finish was long and gentle, reprising many of the floral citrus notes from the aroma. Perhaps not the fruitiest or juiciest 1996 Ben Nevis, I rather imagined this came out of the cask at exactly the right moment before some of these latent woodier qualities started to dominate. Overall, delightful and delicious.